Expert Tips and Insights Inside Mobile Fleet Detailing
Expert Tips and Insights Inside Mobile Fleet Detailing
Could you start by introducing yourself and explaining how you got into the mobile fleet detailing business?
Well, my name is Stefan Gautron. I’m the owner of Starfleet Detailing, and I bought a shop that also did mobile detailing back in 2020. It was just at the start—two weeks before the pandemic hit, to be frank. At that point, we were doing probably a 50/50 split between commercial detailing and residential, and the pandemic changed everything.
It was quite a challenge because now a lot of people were not driving, and there were issues related to masks and safety. Commercial clients had their own concerns about keeping their vehicles safe and free from germs. It was a learning curve for everyone, especially us, since it was a new business for us.
What happened is that we had to develop a new way of doing business. As we did that, the residential part of our business went down, but our commercial side went up. We started doing more and more commercial detailing, both in our shop and going mobile. Now, our work is about 95% mobile, and probably the same ratio applies to commercial work—95% commercial. That’s what we specialize in now: commercial detailing, which encompasses fleet vehicles, machinery like heavy equipment, and tractor-trailers (which we call sleepers or semi-trucks). That’s our bread and butter.
Defining High-Quality Fleet Detailing
What does high-quality fleet detailing mean to you, and what standards do you set to ensure excellence in your services?
When it comes to fleet detailing, we deal with companies that have fleet managers or shop managers, and they’re the ones who call us for service. What matters most to them, I would say, is mutuality, scheduling, safety, and of course doing good work. They want to hire someone who can show up on their property without causing them to worry about injuries or endangering others. Safety is a priority for them.
Having our full PPE—our personal protection equipment—is important for them. Doing a good job and doing it on schedule is also very important. Scheduling is crucial in fleet work.
Challenges in Mobile Fleet Detailing
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in mobile fleet detailing, and how do you overcome them?
Our biggest challenge would be having workers. Obviously, that’s important—having employees. The cost of doing business is also an issue since everything seems to be going up. Companies are trying to cut costs, and we have to cater to that by not being too expensive but still remaining profitable.
Another challenge is keeping up with their expectations. Companies want good service, reliability, and all that comes at a cost. We try to keep costs down but still remain a desirable company to work with.
Essential Equipment and Products
What types of equipment and products are essential for effective fleet detailing, and do you have any specific brands or tools you recommend?
When it comes to fleet detailing, the equipment we detail—trucks and so forth—is not the same as residential vehicles. Residential detailing often involves sugary spills, stains, and so on, whereas commercial detailing deals mostly with mud, grease, and grime. You need special chemicals and special equipment for that.
We use commercial extractors to pull dirt out of fabrics. We also use vapor or steam machines that heat up to about 180° Fahrenheit, which evaporates quickly and doesn’t saturate fabrics like headliners. We also use special chemicals that won’t further stain fabrics or spread grease around, making it worse. Definitely, specialized products for the job at hand are essential.
Eco-Friendly Practices
How do you incorporate eco-friendly practices into your fleet detailing services?
Eco-friendly products are a big concern. Using vapor or hot steam helps us cut back on using aggressive chemicals. We try to use orange-based, biodegradable chemicals whenever possible. Sometimes, you can’t cut corners, and we must use stronger chemicals, but we restrict that to targeted spots only. That helps us cut back on using harsh chemicals overall.
Staff Training and Skills
Can you describe the training process for staff? What skills and knowledge do you emphasize?
When we hire someone, they must have at least two years of experience. Training someone from scratch, who has no experience, costs money and time, and they might quit if they don’t like the work. By hiring someone with experience, nothing is a surprise to them, and they know what to expect.
Our level of detailing is like the Marines—we tackle problems that are beyond basic dusting. Companies hire us to solve issues like grime buildup, mud, mice infestations, smoke remediation, and sometimes even biohazard situations. It’s another step up in detailing. It’s nice to start with someone who already understands the basics of detailing so we can train them for these more complex tasks.
Client Relationships and Satisfaction
How do you manage relationships with clients to ensure ongoing business and customer satisfaction?
We guarantee our work. If there’s any issue—sometimes things break—it has happened before. We back our work up. Even if we have to pay for a repair that might not be our fault, we’ll still fix it. That shows we’re trustworthy. Companies appreciate that because they know they can trust us 100%. I believe that’s what helped us grow so much in the last few years. We stand behind our work, and once we build that relationship, companies keep calling us.
Safety Protocols
What safety protocols are critical in mobile fleet detailing, and how do you ensure they are followed?
Like I mentioned, PPE is critical—steel-toe boots, high-visibility shirts, and sometimes hard hats and eye protection, depending on the company’s requirements. We follow their protocols as well as our own basic standards.
When we go to these companies, they’re usually even more strict with safety, so we comply. Each detailer knows they’ve been safety trained. On-site, shop managers are strict as well. Between our training and their oversight, we’ve had zero accidents in seven years.
Staying Updated with Industry Advances
The detailing industry is constantly evolving. How do you stay updated with the latest technologies and methods?
We work with companies that supply us with products and equipment. They do most of the product research and introduce us to new products, explaining why they’re better. We test them out to ensure we like the results.
We’re constantly testing products and equipment, trying to keep ahead of the curve. We do need to cut costs, and if we can be more efficient in cleaning and reduce the time it takes, that helps us stay competitive.
Advice for New Entrepreneurs
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in the mobile fleet detailing business?
Right now, people watch YouTube videos and think they can make $100,000 in detailing with just $1,000 or $2,000 of equipment and learning on the go. That’s detrimental to the industry. You get a lot of inexperienced people who don’t know how to market or run a business. This damages the industry because you end up with underinsured and unprofessional people undercutting competition, driving prices down. It’s a race to the bottom.
If you go through the right channels—work for a detail shop first and learn how to detail professionally—that at least gives you the trade. Running a business is another skill set entirely. You need guidance on how to run a business.
Starfleet Detailing as a brand has really grown in the last three years. We have national companies asking if we’re in Calgary or Toronto because they want our services. Since they’ve grown attached to what we offer, we decided to expand through franchising.
Now we’re offering franchises across Canada. If someone is interested in the support to be successful in detailing, we’re there for them. We have a system set up so they’re not working 12-hour days but rather six-hour days, making the same amount of money—if not more. We have the infrastructure and programs to make everything flow, help them be more consistent in their service, and keep their sanity.